ConstructReach announced it kicks off its “I Built This” tour at a Target store at 8900 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles, April 14 and 15. High school students from neighboring school districts will gather to learn about the construction industry and participate in elements of the store’s remodel. A photographer will capture the students at work. Images of participants that represent the surrounding community will be featured on the sales floor as examples of success with the statement, “I built this!”

In addition to Los Angeles, the tour will engage communities, students, teachers and construction leaders in:

• Denver in April/May
• St. Louis in July
• Miami in September

Paul Robinson, founder, CEO at ConstructReach, will provide an overview of the industry and discuss career opportunities. The general contractors involved in the Target remodels/builds will provide hands-on activities, a site tour and an opportunity to contribute to the building by assisting with fixtures, flooring, painting and wall framing.

Robinson said, “ConstructReach exists to increase the visibility of the construction industry by educating students about career opportunities, connecting general contractors to interns and innovative internship curriculum, and creating content, experiences, and a ConstructReach social network to expose diverse populations to construction careers. Fifty-three percent of skilled trade workers are over 46 and will be retiring. Plus, only 9.1% of construction workers are women, only 5.8% are African American, and only 1.9% are Asian. ‘I Built This’ introduces diverse students to construction opportunities to work towards changing those statistics.”

Mike Arasin, advisory council member at ConstructReach, CEO at Atlanta-based Fulcrum Construction LLC, said, “The construction industry is in crisis right now. Thousands and thousands of good paying office and in-the-field jobs remain unfilled. Every day the crisis gets worse as the industry loses more of its workforce to retirement. The needs are critical and talented individuals, especially those from minority groups and women are in very high demand. ConstructReach is an industry-changing initiative focused on uniting all industry stakeholders for true change.”
For more information, visit constructreach.com/i-built-this.